More and more New Zealand city / district councils are putting cemetery listings online. Here are listings for two Kiwi councils:
INVERCARGILL CITY
GISBORNE DISTRICT
YOU ARE VISITOR:
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
VIETNAM: A COUNTRY STUDY
Whether you grew up there, fought there, have toured that country, or have to write a research paper on Vietnam that’s due tomorrow morning, this online book on the Library of Congress website will be a big help:
LINK
LINK
LUCY'S REALLY IN THE SKY NOW...
The namesake of the song “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds” by John Lennon has died after a long bout with lupus:
LINK
Note: She didn't like the song much...
LINK
Note: She didn't like the song much...
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR BOB DOERR
Dear Friends and Family,
The date for Bob Doerr's memorial service had to be changed to Saturday, October 24 at St. Patrick's Church, 17 St. Patrick Lane, Rolla, MO (http://church.stpatsrolla.org/).
9:00 AM - Visitation
10:30 AM - Eulogies
11:00 AM - Mass
We hope you can attend.
In Lieu of Flowers: Bob requested that heart-felt donations be made to The Missouri Chapter of Nature Conservancy. Bob was the sole surviving founding officer of the conservancy's Missouri Chapter.
Mailing Address: The Nature Conservancy
Attn: Account 12058838
P.O. Box 6014
Albert Lea, MN 56007
Phone: Call Mary Bargeron in Philanthropy at (314) 968-1105.
Online: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/missouri/
Please specify "in memory of Robert Doerr -- Missouri Chapter"; attn: account 12058838.
Sincerely yours,
Vivian, Karen, Cheryl, Christine, Teresa and families
The date for Bob Doerr's memorial service had to be changed to Saturday, October 24 at St. Patrick's Church, 17 St. Patrick Lane, Rolla, MO (http://church.stpatsrolla.org/).
9:00 AM - Visitation
10:30 AM - Eulogies
11:00 AM - Mass
We hope you can attend.
In Lieu of Flowers: Bob requested that heart-felt donations be made to The Missouri Chapter of Nature Conservancy. Bob was the sole surviving founding officer of the conservancy's Missouri Chapter.
Mailing Address: The Nature Conservancy
Attn: Account 12058838
P.O. Box 6014
Albert Lea, MN 56007
Phone: Call Mary Bargeron in Philanthropy at (314) 968-1105.
Online: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/missouri/
Please specify "in memory of Robert Doerr -- Missouri Chapter"; attn: account 12058838.
Sincerely yours,
Vivian, Karen, Cheryl, Christine, Teresa and families
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
MISSOURI COUNTY HISTORIES AT GOOGLE BOOKS
All listed county histories are available Full View (full-text online):
Bates County
Boone County
Cooper County
Cass County
Daviess County
Grundy County
Jackson County
Jasper County
Linn County
McDonald County
Pettis County
Ray County
The above-listed county histories are merely the ones I found on the first three screens I checked when I searched Missouri County History using Google Books. Try searching for the counties you are interested in:
LINK
Bates County
Boone County
Cooper County
Cass County
Daviess County
Grundy County
Jackson County
Jasper County
Linn County
McDonald County
Pettis County
Ray County
The above-listed county histories are merely the ones I found on the first three screens I checked when I searched Missouri County History using Google Books. Try searching for the counties you are interested in:
LINK
ROBERT M. DOERR (1927-2009)
I know that many of you knew Bob, either through his work on the MoSGA Journal, through his websites, or from speaking with him at MoSGA Annual Conferences. If you, like me, considered him a good friend, you will miss those emails from "Bob Doerr in the Beautiful Missouri Ozarks" as much as I already do.
Dear Friends and Relatives of Robert M. Doerr,
We wanted to reach out to you and let you know that Bob passed to Heaven on Saturday, September 26th, 2009, at 9:30 p.m. central time, following a nearly two-year battle with multiple myeloma. He was at peace at his long-time home in Rolla, Missouri, and comforted by family members including his lovely wife Vivian, his youngest of five daughters, Teresa, and two nephews, Greg and Steve Doerr. Bob is also survived by his daughters Karen, Cheryl, and Christine, plus 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. And thankfully, he is now with his daughter Peggy, who passed in 2004.
Bob was born in November 1927, and developed hundreds of relationships with great people, like you. He met you through one of his many careers, professional hobbies, volunteer organizations, church activities, or maybe even through international travel or genealogy research. You may have enjoyed vegetables from his gigantic backyard garden, or if you were extra lucky, you enjoyed a fishing/canoe trip with him on one of the Ozark's National Scenic Riverways (a name that some say he coined).
A dedicated editor of the MoSGA Journal for 17 years, Bob worked on his last journal issue even during his final days, while he made preparations to pass the "editor's torch" to his successor, a talented young woman in Osage Beach, Missouri. He spoke highly of her and had complete faith in her to continue the journal's valuable progression. Bob received the journal's President's Award in 2007.
Known fondly as "Captain Tootsie," Bob tirelessly supported the Rolla Knights of Columbus for many years, chairing their annual fund raiser to support citizens with intellectual disabilities. The fund raiser is also well known as The Tootsie Roll Drive, which as you know takes place in many cities, states, and countries each October.
A funeral Mass for Bob will take place at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Rolla, Missouri, on Saturday, October 17th, 2009. The time will be announced soon. In lieu of flowers, he had requested heart-felt donations be made to the The Nature Conservancy. Bob was the sole surviving founding officer of the conservancy's Missouri Chapter, established in 1956. You can learn more and donate at:
LINK
Thank you for being his good friend, admired colleague, or close family member. He loved you, and all the ways that you enriched his incredible life. We will always remember "Bob Doerr in the beautiful Missouri Ozarks." And we hope to share memories with you in person on October 17th.
Sincerely,
The Family of Robert M. Doerr
Dear Friends and Relatives of Robert M. Doerr,
We wanted to reach out to you and let you know that Bob passed to Heaven on Saturday, September 26th, 2009, at 9:30 p.m. central time, following a nearly two-year battle with multiple myeloma. He was at peace at his long-time home in Rolla, Missouri, and comforted by family members including his lovely wife Vivian, his youngest of five daughters, Teresa, and two nephews, Greg and Steve Doerr. Bob is also survived by his daughters Karen, Cheryl, and Christine, plus 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. And thankfully, he is now with his daughter Peggy, who passed in 2004.
Bob was born in November 1927, and developed hundreds of relationships with great people, like you. He met you through one of his many careers, professional hobbies, volunteer organizations, church activities, or maybe even through international travel or genealogy research. You may have enjoyed vegetables from his gigantic backyard garden, or if you were extra lucky, you enjoyed a fishing/canoe trip with him on one of the Ozark's National Scenic Riverways (a name that some say he coined).
A dedicated editor of the MoSGA Journal for 17 years, Bob worked on his last journal issue even during his final days, while he made preparations to pass the "editor's torch" to his successor, a talented young woman in Osage Beach, Missouri. He spoke highly of her and had complete faith in her to continue the journal's valuable progression. Bob received the journal's President's Award in 2007.
Known fondly as "Captain Tootsie," Bob tirelessly supported the Rolla Knights of Columbus for many years, chairing their annual fund raiser to support citizens with intellectual disabilities. The fund raiser is also well known as The Tootsie Roll Drive, which as you know takes place in many cities, states, and countries each October.
A funeral Mass for Bob will take place at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Rolla, Missouri, on Saturday, October 17th, 2009. The time will be announced soon. In lieu of flowers, he had requested heart-felt donations be made to the The Nature Conservancy. Bob was the sole surviving founding officer of the conservancy's Missouri Chapter, established in 1956. You can learn more and donate at:
LINK
Thank you for being his good friend, admired colleague, or close family member. He loved you, and all the ways that you enriched his incredible life. We will always remember "Bob Doerr in the beautiful Missouri Ozarks." And we hope to share memories with you in person on October 17th.
Sincerely,
The Family of Robert M. Doerr
Saturday, September 26, 2009
A SWISS ARMY KNIFE FOR GENEALOGISTS
This press release from LiveRoots.com is rather lengthy, but it appears that this (free but with some pay options) web service may well interest many of our readers:
I would like to invite you to give LiveRoots.com (or the Live Roots Facebook application) a try. If you feel this is a valuable service for genealogists, please consider adding a link to it from your library, society, or personal web site.
Live Roots Genealogy Search http://www.liveroots.com/
Live Roots for Facebook http://apps.facebook.com/liveroots/
When people ask me "what is Live Roots?" my response is that it is a new genealogy search experience. While search is a key feature, and it does work similar to a traditional search engine, it's the knowledge of where/how genealogical information is stored and accessed that differentiates LiveRoots. The Live Roots search also goes beyond web sites, and includes book and microfilm catalogs, photographs, maps, postcards and over 70 other resource types. Each resource is cataloged in a similar format, and graphical icons help distinguish the resources in search results. There are currently over 200,000 resources in the Live Roots catalog.The second question people ask is usually "so where do all these resources come from?" I've partnered with all of the "major" players in the genealogy industry, and receive catalog feeds from them on a regular basis. In addition, I've worked with many of the medium and smaller publishers to get access to their catalogs. These direct feeds are combined with the collection of web site links I've been compiling for the past ten yearsthrough my other projects, along with the unique resources that I've been digitizing.There is a .PDF file on the Live Roots web site, "Introducing the Live RootsProject," that lists the larger catalog sources:
http://www.liveroots.com/about/Introducing-the-Live-Roots-Project.pdf
andthere is an update blog where new additions are posted:
http://www.liveroots.com/blog/
While getting the direct catalog feeds is great, my work doesn't stop there. Each of the content providers provides different information about their titles, and often the geographic details are lacking. I make sure that geographic information (where possible) is added to the resources down to the CITY/TOWN level, making Live Roots the only genealogy service that offers this kind of visibility. You are also able to navigate upwards to see county, state, etc. level resources, and this is for all countries, not just the U.S.A.The Live Roots catalog is also a "tree" of sorts, where the individual resources are linked to the site/service, which may in turn be linked to a company/person. And the service attempts to show you where additional copies of a given resource may be located (e.g. an online database that is also available in print). One of the best examples of this is that the NARA microfilms are linked to the online databases derived from them. So you can quickly see if a film used by Ancestry (for example) has also been used elsewhere (by Footnote perhaps).
Web sites in the Live Roots catalog are also geographically coded (although this is an ongoing process), and there is a URL history used by the search, so if you find a broken link while surfing around, you can put that into theLive Roots search box, and if it finds a match, it will guide you to the new location. I've been compiling this URL history for years, and it has several thousand entries in it.The search engine provides results based on a combination of "and" and "or"logic, sorted in order of accessibility (i.e. online databases before printed matter). There is "not" logic using the exclamation point (e.g."johnson !county"). Since this is a genealogy specific search service, it's not well suited for generic searches like "census" and will refer those types of searches to Cyndi's List. In addition to the catalog, there is a name index derived from a subset of the resources based on information provided from the webmasters. Thus, when you perform a Live Roots search using a surname, you may actually get index results as well.
The Live Roots engine understands many phonetic variations of surnames, and will also highlight those results (e.g. "MacDonald" and"Mac Donald", "Fraim" and "Frame"). Oh, and don't be shy about searching for surnames-- you can put in as many as you want in a single search. You may notice a subsection to the Surname Results labeled "SubscriptionData". The Live Roots search engine also taps into the subscription databases that I've created over the years. This is the only fee-based area of Live Roots; everything else is free (although you may need a subscription when you arrive at the destination site for a given resource).
The last two points on search: to locate a specific title, put the search query in double quotes, and to see if a web site is cataloged (or all of the pages from a specific domain), put a web address (URL) in to the search box. While the Live Roots catalog and index continue to grow on a daily basis, there is still a wealth of information that is not included. But, with the use of technology called web services, you can perform real-time searches from a variety of information providers (including all the major players in our industry). You'll see that the Live Roots search makes it simple to extend your search beyond its own catalog with preset clicks to these real-time searches. In a matter of minutes, you can search for a specific ancestor across all of the major sites without leaving Live Roots (or havingto re-enter your search criteria).
Live Roots includes "Web 2.0" type features, including "Follow", "Share","Comment" and "Record" that are part of a project management section. Follow is similar to bookmarking, except it continues to work even if the resource moves, and in an upcoming release you will be able to receive alerts for the items you've followed. Share lets you send an email to highlight a given resource (or search result) for a friend. Comment lets you make notes for resources you discover, and Record makes an entry in a dynamic research log. Except for Share, you need to setup a free membership account to take advantage of these features. For more details on this aspect of Live Roots, check out
http://www.liveroots.com/genealogy/research.html
There are dozens of other interesting features in Live Roots (e.g. definitions of terminology, surname meanings, wiki-like glossary of genealogy concepts), but hopefully you get a sense of why I call Live Roots a search experience. It's more of a Swiss-army knife for genealogists. I don't expect your support of the project just based on reading this document, so please give Live Roots a try and see it in action, and then, if you agree that it would offer value to your patrons, consider adding a linkto your library, society, or personal web site.
Regards,
Illya J. D'Addezio,
OwnerGenealogy Today LLC
New Providence, NJ 07974
Live Roots Genealogy Search http://www.liveroots.com/
Genealogy Today (online since 1999) http://www.genealogytoday.com/
Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/illyadaddezio
I would like to invite you to give LiveRoots.com (or the Live Roots Facebook application) a try. If you feel this is a valuable service for genealogists, please consider adding a link to it from your library, society, or personal web site.
Live Roots Genealogy Search http://www.liveroots.com/
Live Roots for Facebook http://apps.facebook.com/liveroots/
When people ask me "what is Live Roots?" my response is that it is a new genealogy search experience. While search is a key feature, and it does work similar to a traditional search engine, it's the knowledge of where/how genealogical information is stored and accessed that differentiates LiveRoots. The Live Roots search also goes beyond web sites, and includes book and microfilm catalogs, photographs, maps, postcards and over 70 other resource types. Each resource is cataloged in a similar format, and graphical icons help distinguish the resources in search results. There are currently over 200,000 resources in the Live Roots catalog.The second question people ask is usually "so where do all these resources come from?" I've partnered with all of the "major" players in the genealogy industry, and receive catalog feeds from them on a regular basis. In addition, I've worked with many of the medium and smaller publishers to get access to their catalogs. These direct feeds are combined with the collection of web site links I've been compiling for the past ten yearsthrough my other projects, along with the unique resources that I've been digitizing.There is a .PDF file on the Live Roots web site, "Introducing the Live RootsProject," that lists the larger catalog sources:
http://www.liveroots.com/about/Introducing-the-Live-Roots-Project.pdf
andthere is an update blog where new additions are posted:
http://www.liveroots.com/blog/
While getting the direct catalog feeds is great, my work doesn't stop there. Each of the content providers provides different information about their titles, and often the geographic details are lacking. I make sure that geographic information (where possible) is added to the resources down to the CITY/TOWN level, making Live Roots the only genealogy service that offers this kind of visibility. You are also able to navigate upwards to see county, state, etc. level resources, and this is for all countries, not just the U.S.A.The Live Roots catalog is also a "tree" of sorts, where the individual resources are linked to the site/service, which may in turn be linked to a company/person. And the service attempts to show you where additional copies of a given resource may be located (e.g. an online database that is also available in print). One of the best examples of this is that the NARA microfilms are linked to the online databases derived from them. So you can quickly see if a film used by Ancestry (for example) has also been used elsewhere (by Footnote perhaps).
Web sites in the Live Roots catalog are also geographically coded (although this is an ongoing process), and there is a URL history used by the search, so if you find a broken link while surfing around, you can put that into theLive Roots search box, and if it finds a match, it will guide you to the new location. I've been compiling this URL history for years, and it has several thousand entries in it.The search engine provides results based on a combination of "and" and "or"logic, sorted in order of accessibility (i.e. online databases before printed matter). There is "not" logic using the exclamation point (e.g."johnson !county"). Since this is a genealogy specific search service, it's not well suited for generic searches like "census" and will refer those types of searches to Cyndi's List. In addition to the catalog, there is a name index derived from a subset of the resources based on information provided from the webmasters. Thus, when you perform a Live Roots search using a surname, you may actually get index results as well.
The Live Roots engine understands many phonetic variations of surnames, and will also highlight those results (e.g. "MacDonald" and"Mac Donald", "Fraim" and "Frame"). Oh, and don't be shy about searching for surnames-- you can put in as many as you want in a single search. You may notice a subsection to the Surname Results labeled "SubscriptionData". The Live Roots search engine also taps into the subscription databases that I've created over the years. This is the only fee-based area of Live Roots; everything else is free (although you may need a subscription when you arrive at the destination site for a given resource).
The last two points on search: to locate a specific title, put the search query in double quotes, and to see if a web site is cataloged (or all of the pages from a specific domain), put a web address (URL) in to the search box. While the Live Roots catalog and index continue to grow on a daily basis, there is still a wealth of information that is not included. But, with the use of technology called web services, you can perform real-time searches from a variety of information providers (including all the major players in our industry). You'll see that the Live Roots search makes it simple to extend your search beyond its own catalog with preset clicks to these real-time searches. In a matter of minutes, you can search for a specific ancestor across all of the major sites without leaving Live Roots (or havingto re-enter your search criteria).
Live Roots includes "Web 2.0" type features, including "Follow", "Share","Comment" and "Record" that are part of a project management section. Follow is similar to bookmarking, except it continues to work even if the resource moves, and in an upcoming release you will be able to receive alerts for the items you've followed. Share lets you send an email to highlight a given resource (or search result) for a friend. Comment lets you make notes for resources you discover, and Record makes an entry in a dynamic research log. Except for Share, you need to setup a free membership account to take advantage of these features. For more details on this aspect of Live Roots, check out
http://www.liveroots.com/genealogy/research.html
There are dozens of other interesting features in Live Roots (e.g. definitions of terminology, surname meanings, wiki-like glossary of genealogy concepts), but hopefully you get a sense of why I call Live Roots a search experience. It's more of a Swiss-army knife for genealogists. I don't expect your support of the project just based on reading this document, so please give Live Roots a try and see it in action, and then, if you agree that it would offer value to your patrons, consider adding a linkto your library, society, or personal web site.
Regards,
Illya J. D'Addezio,
OwnerGenealogy Today LLC
New Providence, NJ 07974
Live Roots Genealogy Search http://www.liveroots.com/
Genealogy Today (online since 1999) http://www.genealogytoday.com/
Follow me on Twitter http://twitter.com/illyadaddezio
15 ESSENTIAL WEB TOOLS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
This list on Mashable.com is intended for college students, but genealogists are lifelong learners, too-- so take a look:
LINK
LINK
FAMILIES IN BRITISH INDIA SOCIETY
Is there a Brit who spent time in India somewhere in your family tree? Then you’ll like the website of the Families in British India Society:
LINK
LINK
Friday, September 25, 2009
SEND IN THE LIONS...
In the future, the watchword of broadcasters will likely be, "Give the people what they want-- even if they don't know that they want it yet!"
LINK
LINK
ALL YOU CAN READ
Why would a genealogist be interested in this website? Because it lists currently-published newspapers in every state by:
1. City
2. County
3. and Topic:
Agricultural Newspapers
Christian Newspapers
Alternative Newsweekly Newspapers
Jewish Newspapers
Business Newspapers
Shopping Newspapers
College Newspapers
African American Newspapers
Top Newspapers
Hispanic Newspapers
Ethnic Community Newspapers
It also lists currently published magazines by category.
LINK
1. City
2. County
3. and Topic:
Agricultural Newspapers
Christian Newspapers
Alternative Newsweekly Newspapers
Jewish Newspapers
Business Newspapers
Shopping Newspapers
College Newspapers
African American Newspapers
Top Newspapers
Hispanic Newspapers
Ethnic Community Newspapers
It also lists currently published magazines by category.
LINK
EBAY TRADING ASSISTANTS
Have some stuff you think you could sell on eBay, but don’t want to figure out how to do it yourself? Use an eBay Trading Assistant-- some will even pick up your stuff at your house:
LINK
LINK
Thursday, September 24, 2009
DON'T JUNK THAT OLD COMPUTER
If you just bought a new desktop or laptop computer, you may be able to use the hard drive of your old computer as an external hard drive for your new computer. Kim Komando says that it’s easy to rig up, and quite a bit cheaper than buying a new external hard drive:
LINK
LINK
THE CHINESE IN ST. LOUIS
Brief but informative history of the Chinese in St. Louis:
LINK
NOTE: The St. Louis Chinese American News is a newspaper that has been serving the St. Louis Chinese-American community since 1990 (in Chinese and English):
LINK
They’ve combined a long-running series of articles on the St. Louis Chinese-American community into a book that’s available for purchase (articles are in English):
LINK
LINK
NOTE: The St. Louis Chinese American News is a newspaper that has been serving the St. Louis Chinese-American community since 1990 (in Chinese and English):
LINK
They’ve combined a long-running series of articles on the St. Louis Chinese-American community into a book that’s available for purchase (articles are in English):
LINK
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
ICELAND TO NORTH AMERICA
First of all, it’s not that icy. Greenland is actually much more icy than Iceland (so why don’t they just trade names and end all the confusion?). But I digress-- this site is intended for people who are researching ancestors who came to North America via Iceland:
LINK
LINK
ESCAPE TO PUERTO RICO
If you’ve lost contact with a Puerto Rican relative, friend, or classmate, these folks may be able to put you back in touch:
LINK
LINK
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
CREATING THE UNITED STATES
Library of Congress website includes many interesting online exhibits. One exhibit is called Creating the United States:
LINK
LINK
OUT OF THE FRYING PAN...
And out of the fire… Looks like Philadelphia doesn’t have to close all its public libraries after all:
LINK
LINK
Saturday, September 19, 2009
MOVED BY THE MAIL
You will be-- if your ancestor was a British postal clerk or letter carrier. This post about doing family research at the British Postal Museum & Archive notes that they have pension records for British postal workers 1859-1959:
LINK
LINK
IF THEY WERE ANY MORE FRUITFUL, THE TREE WOULD FALL OVER…
This family’s 99-year old matriarch just passed away, leaving behind 1,400 children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren:
LINK
LINK
GOOGLE LOGOS
You know those special logos Google uses for holidays and some special occasions? There’s a gallery that shows all of them (including foreign only logos) here:
LINK
NOTE: 2009 appears to have had a bumper crop of these logos…
LINK
NOTE: 2009 appears to have had a bumper crop of these logos…
Thursday, September 17, 2009
ROME REALLY WAS BUILT IN A DAY...
At least, a very thorough photo-recreation of her was:
LINK
Note: The possibilities for genealogists to some day soon take very detailed virtual tours of the home cities and towns of their ancestors seem endless…
LINK
Note: The possibilities for genealogists to some day soon take very detailed virtual tours of the home cities and towns of their ancestors seem endless…
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
THE HORSE AND THE BARN DOOR
Are many IT security pros focusing on the wrong threats to our computers? A growing number of experts say yes:
LINK
LINK
ONLINE LEARNING
It may be time for those of us who have up until now been so inclined (err- guilty as charged) to stop making fun of online degrees: studies are finding that online learners do significantly better than classroom learners when tested on what they have studied:
LINK
LINK
NARA GOES TO SCHOOL
Well, it’s certainly reaching out to educators in a big way with its new Boeing Learning Center:
LINK
LINK
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
FROMELLES UPDATE
An earlier post here noted that the mass grave of some British and Australian soldiers who were killed at the WWI Battle of Fromelles, France had been found. Researchers have identified 250 bodies, and taken DNA samples from each set of remains. The hope is to positively identify as many of the men as possible using DNA from present-day Australian descendants of men killed at the battle:
LINK
LINK
Saturday, September 12, 2009
FREE FEDERAL RESOURCES FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
Hundreds of links to free resources for teachers, students, and lifelong learners:
LINK
Note: Genealogists will appreciate the numerous links involving U.S. and world history…
LINK
Note: Genealogists will appreciate the numerous links involving U.S. and world history…
THE FEDS ARE BLOGGING
ASLEEP IN THE DEEP
Researchers have found the remains of a U.S. Navy patrol boat sunk by a Nazi U-Boat during WWII off the coast of North Carolina. The remains of up to five crew members may still rest in the patrol boat. The patrol boat is one of 137 vessels sunk off the North Carolina coast during WWII (40 have been discovered):
LINK
LINK
THE DOGS OF WAR
Belgium now has a museum that commemorates the sacrifices of animals who “served” in past military conflicts:
LINK
Note: Numbers cited are fairly impressive: 40,000 dogs trained by the American Army for attack and guard duty during World War I; 200,000 dogs trained by the German Army!
LINK
Note: Numbers cited are fairly impressive: 40,000 dogs trained by the American Army for attack and guard duty during World War I; 200,000 dogs trained by the German Army!
Friday, September 11, 2009
I'M INNOCENT, I TELL YOU...
And in this case, it really does look like Texas may have executed an innocent man:
LINK
Note: I'm mentioning this news item here because family really is at the core of this story...
LINK
Note: I'm mentioning this news item here because family really is at the core of this story...
JEWISH CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS DATABASE
Includes about 7,000 Jewish Yankees and Rebels:
LINK
Note: Listings include name, rank, state, and regiment, and can include additional comments.
LINK
Note: Listings include name, rank, state, and regiment, and can include additional comments.
DoD SUICIDE PREVENTION TASK FORCE
Apparently the suicide rate among armed forces members is high enough to merit creation of a prevention task force:
LINK
LINK
ALABAMA CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS
Amount of information provided varies, but can include info on his military service and his pension or that of his widow:
LINK
LINK
Thursday, September 10, 2009
USING WORLDCAT.ORG
Worldcat.org is a union catalog of the holdings of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. There are some very helpful Worldcat.org tutorials on YouTube:
WORLDCAT.ORG: http://www.worldcat.org/
WORLDCAT CITATIONS TOOL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8W7kWMrVNk
WORLDCAT LISTS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vos5ivBeZ5c
WHY I LOVE WORLDCAT.ORG: Alice Sneary loves WorldCat.org, and tells you why in just 33 seconds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf7L7OcyPDM
WORLDCAT.ORG: http://www.worldcat.org/
WORLDCAT CITATIONS TOOL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8W7kWMrVNk
WORLDCAT LISTS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vos5ivBeZ5c
WHY I LOVE WORLDCAT.ORG: Alice Sneary loves WorldCat.org, and tells you why in just 33 seconds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kf7L7OcyPDM
DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY
1st and 2nd editions and some supplemental volumes are available for free online:
“The Dictionary of National Biography (or DNB) is a biographical reference for deceased persons notable in British history. The current edition of this work has been published online by Oxford University Press since 2004. The current electronic edition is not free, but is available through individual or library subscription. There is also a recent print edition.
Some earlier editions of this work are freely available online, and remain of historic interest. Below we link to free online volumes of the first and second editions, and some of their supplementary volumes.”
LINK
Here’s a link to the Online Books Subject listings:
LINK
One of the subject categories is U.S. Regional History, which should prove of some interest to most genealogists…
“The Dictionary of National Biography (or DNB) is a biographical reference for deceased persons notable in British history. The current edition of this work has been published online by Oxford University Press since 2004. The current electronic edition is not free, but is available through individual or library subscription. There is also a recent print edition.
Some earlier editions of this work are freely available online, and remain of historic interest. Below we link to free online volumes of the first and second editions, and some of their supplementary volumes.”
LINK
Here’s a link to the Online Books Subject listings:
LINK
One of the subject categories is U.S. Regional History, which should prove of some interest to most genealogists…
Saturday, September 05, 2009
DO IT YOURSELF GOSPELS
The Lindisfarne Gospels, that is:
“Use this website to research and make your own unique artist's notebook, inspired by the Lindisfarne Gospels.
The Lindisfarne Gospels were created in Northumberland almost 1300 years ago. For Christians, they contain God's message. For people of all faiths, and none, it is a magnificent object. It is a celebration of word, time and place.
You don't need to know the gospels or be a great artist to take part! You just need time, an open mind, and a willingness to research, experiment and explore.”
http://www.bl.uk/learning/artimages/sacredbook/sacredbook.html
“Use this website to research and make your own unique artist's notebook, inspired by the Lindisfarne Gospels.
The Lindisfarne Gospels were created in Northumberland almost 1300 years ago. For Christians, they contain God's message. For people of all faiths, and none, it is a magnificent object. It is a celebration of word, time and place.
You don't need to know the gospels or be a great artist to take part! You just need time, an open mind, and a willingness to research, experiment and explore.”
http://www.bl.uk/learning/artimages/sacredbook/sacredbook.html
CIVIL WAR MANUSCRIPTS PROJECT
If you have a Connecticut Civil War ancestor, you will find this website to be of great interest:
http://www.chs.org/kcwmp/cwab.htm
There are indexes by name or by regiment. The Project also includes a few manuscripts for men in regiments from other New England / mid-Atlantic states.
http://www.chs.org/kcwmp/cwab.htm
There are indexes by name or by regiment. The Project also includes a few manuscripts for men in regiments from other New England / mid-Atlantic states.
FREE GENEALOGY SITES
I use and get a lot out of various pay genie sites, but sometimes you just like to get free stuff:
101 Great Free Genealogy Websites: http://genealogy.about.com/cs/free_genealogy/a/free_sites.htm
What’s Free on Ancestry.com: http://www.searchforancestors.com/ancestryfreebies.html
What’s Free on Footnote.com: http://www.footnote.com/free.php
101 Great Free Genealogy Websites: http://genealogy.about.com/cs/free_genealogy/a/free_sites.htm
What’s Free on Ancestry.com: http://www.searchforancestors.com/ancestryfreebies.html
What’s Free on Footnote.com: http://www.footnote.com/free.php
SEARCH ENGINES: NOT JUST GOOGLE ANYMORE
You realize that there are other search engines, right?
Alta Vista: http://www.altavista.com/
Ask.com: http://www.ask.com/
Bing.com: http://www.bing.com/
Clusty: http://clusty.com/
Dogpile: http://www.dogpile.com/
Exalead: http://www.exalead.com/search/
Google: http://www.google.com/ (just to be fair!)
Google Book Search: http://books.google.com/books?hl=en
Google Image Search: http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi
Mamma: http://www.mamma.com/
Yahoo Search: http://search.yahoo.com/
This site provides great comparisons of the various search engines:
Recommended Search Engines: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SearchEngines.html
Alta Vista: http://www.altavista.com/
Ask.com: http://www.ask.com/
Bing.com: http://www.bing.com/
Clusty: http://clusty.com/
Dogpile: http://www.dogpile.com/
Exalead: http://www.exalead.com/search/
Google: http://www.google.com/ (just to be fair!)
Google Book Search: http://books.google.com/books?hl=en
Google Image Search: http://images.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi
Mamma: http://www.mamma.com/
Yahoo Search: http://search.yahoo.com/
This site provides great comparisons of the various search engines:
Recommended Search Engines: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/SearchEngines.html
Friday, September 04, 2009
DoD DEFENSE IMAGERY ARCHIVE
Did you know that DoD has a Defense Imagery Archive? I didn’t. Includes still photos and videos:
LINK
Note: They also provide some image sets for sale on CD-Rom at $14.95 per CD for non-DoD employees:
LINK
Photo previews are available on the website for each CD. CDs available include Best of the Air Force, Best of the Navy, Best of the Army, and Best of the Marine Corps. If you’ve got a veteran / wannabe service member on your Christmas list, one of these CDs might be a most unexpected / much appreciated gift!
LINK
Note: They also provide some image sets for sale on CD-Rom at $14.95 per CD for non-DoD employees:
LINK
Photo previews are available on the website for each CD. CDs available include Best of the Air Force, Best of the Navy, Best of the Army, and Best of the Marine Corps. If you’ve got a veteran / wannabe service member on your Christmas list, one of these CDs might be a most unexpected / much appreciated gift!
RESISTANCE TO HITLER
Was there resistance to Hitler and the Nazis by Germans within Germany? You bet there was! Did the Nazis punish home-grown resistors who fell into their hands? Yes-- very often with the death penalty, and very often at the infamous Ploetzensee Prison:
LINK
LINK
GENEALOGICAL.COM LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALE
This Labor Day weekend you can save $$ on some of your favorite genealogy products. From today through 11:59 PM EDT, Monday, September 7, 2009, you can order any product available at www.genealogical.com at a discount of 30% off the current selling price of the books(s) or CD(s) of your choice.
To take advantage of this holiday discount, simply add the special code LD09 (caps, no spaces) in the Discount Code box on the "Shipping and Handling" page of the check-out process. You can use your special LD09 discount code as many times as you like, so long as you place your final order by 11:59 PM EDT, Monday, September 7, 2009.
To take advantage of this holiday discount, simply add the special code LD09 (caps, no spaces) in the Discount Code box on the "Shipping and Handling" page of the check-out process. You can use your special LD09 discount code as many times as you like, so long as you place your final order by 11:59 PM EDT, Monday, September 7, 2009.
POW / MIA RECOGNITION CEREMONY
POW/MIA Recognition Ceremony
September 18th at 10:00 am
Soldiers Memorial Military Museum
1315 Chestnut St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Regards,
Anika Roy
Visitor Services and Operations
Soldiers Memorial Military Museum
1315 Chestnut St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314)622-4550
September 18th at 10:00 am
Soldiers Memorial Military Museum
1315 Chestnut St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
Regards,
Anika Roy
Visitor Services and Operations
Soldiers Memorial Military Museum
1315 Chestnut St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314)622-4550
Thursday, September 03, 2009
40 BEST GENEALOGY BLOGS
You can help MoSGA Messenger get named to Family Tree Magazine’s list of the 40 Best Genealogy Blogs. Vote for us during September 2009. Go here for details:
LINK
Here's the info you'll need to vote for us:
Blog Name: MoSGA Messenger
URL: http://mosga.blogspot.com/
Name of Blogger: Tom Pearson
And thanks for your continuing support!
LINK
Here's the info you'll need to vote for us:
Blog Name: MoSGA Messenger
URL: http://mosga.blogspot.com/
Name of Blogger: Tom Pearson
And thanks for your continuing support!
GERMAN POWs IN THE U.S.
The St. Charles County Historical Society, the St. Charles German Heritage Club and the St. Charles Sister City Club would like to invite you to a Special Exhibit:
Held on the Homefront: German POWs in the U.S.
September 10, 2009 -- Noon to 7 p.m.
Location: Parking Lot by the Lewis and Clark Boathouse, 1050 Riverside Drive
The Exhibit is in a converted bus which contains a classroom/media room plus artifacts and photos from the 500+ POW camps which held prisoners during WW II
Entrance is Free!
For more information on the Bus-eum and the Exhibit – visit their website:
http://www.traces.org/
Held on the Homefront: German POWs in the U.S.
September 10, 2009 -- Noon to 7 p.m.
Location: Parking Lot by the Lewis and Clark Boathouse, 1050 Riverside Drive
The Exhibit is in a converted bus which contains a classroom/media room plus artifacts and photos from the 500+ POW camps which held prisoners during WW II
Entrance is Free!
For more information on the Bus-eum and the Exhibit – visit their website:
http://www.traces.org/
MoSGA WANTS BOOKS!
Attention Authors, Publishers, Genealogical Societies, Historical Societies:
Submit Your Book to the Missouri State Genealogical Association’s Library.
Whether you are a member of MoSGA or not, if you have recently published a genealogy— or a book relevant to genealogists— the MoSGA Library is seeking a complimentary copy.
Your book will be reviewed in the MoSGA Journal, then placed in the MoSGA Collection at the Midwest Genealogy Center, Independence, Missouri, where it will be available for interlibrary loan across the United States.
Please include the following information– title; author(s)/editor(s)/ compiler(s); place of publication; publisher/self-published; year of publication; contact/ordering information, including price.
For more information contact Jean Foster Kelley, Library Director by email at:
jean@fosterkelley.com
Book donations may be mailed to MoSGA, P.O. Box 833, Columbia, MO 65205-0833.
Submit Your Book to the Missouri State Genealogical Association’s Library.
Whether you are a member of MoSGA or not, if you have recently published a genealogy— or a book relevant to genealogists— the MoSGA Library is seeking a complimentary copy.
Your book will be reviewed in the MoSGA Journal, then placed in the MoSGA Collection at the Midwest Genealogy Center, Independence, Missouri, where it will be available for interlibrary loan across the United States.
Please include the following information– title; author(s)/editor(s)/ compiler(s); place of publication; publisher/self-published; year of publication; contact/ordering information, including price.
For more information contact Jean Foster Kelley, Library Director by email at:
jean@fosterkelley.com
Book donations may be mailed to MoSGA, P.O. Box 833, Columbia, MO 65205-0833.
MISSOURI HISTORY MUSEUM UPDATE
The following sources have recently been added to the Genealogy and Local History Index. To search the index globally, visit the main page:
http://www.mohistory.org/genealogy
1. Program for the Graduating Exercises for the Normal and High Schools, 1892
2. Program for the Graduating Exercises of the Normal and High School, 1894
3. P-D Notebook (company employee magazine of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and KSD-TV), 1950-1957
4. If You Want to LIVE, Live in Webster, 1924 (includes photographs of 18 homes in Webster Groves, Mo.)
5. Plat Book of St. Louis County, Missouri, 1909 (includes photographs of St. Louis County residents, homes, and commercial and institutional buildings; business advertisements; and a patrons' directory)
6. Program for Washington University commencement, 1907
7. Program for the Roosevelt High School Graduating Exercises, 1925
8. Program for the Graduating Exercises of Soldan High School, 1926
9. Program for the Graduating Exercise of the Central High School, 1928
10. Program for the St. Louis High School Graduating Exercises, 1870
11. Invitation to the Exercises of the June Class of 1909 of the Garfield School
12. Souvenir of the Ninetieth Anniversary of Zion Evangelical Church: Near Des Peres, St. Louis County, Mo., 1928
13. Cleveland High School graduation program, 1923
14. Cleveland High School graduation program, 1926
15. Program for the Commencement Exercises of St. Louis University, 1930
16. Group photograph of the graduating class of Clinton School, 1918
17. Program for the confirmation celebration of the Evangelical Protestant Church of the Holy Ghost, 1873
The Missouri History Museum Library and Research Center is free and open to the public. The Library and Research Center is located at 225 South Skinker, across from Forest Park. Our hours are Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 pm, and Saturday, 10 am-5 pm.
The Library and Research Center collections are non-circulating; items may not be checked out. The library staff can make photocopies for 25 cents per copy.
Library reference desk: 314-746-4500, library@mohistory.org
Archives reference desk: 314-746-4510, archives@mohistory.org
Library and Research Center website: http://www.mohistory.org/lrc-home/
Please note: There will be ongoing renovation work in the Library and Research Center Reading Room during the month of September. The Reading Room will remain open. Please pardon our work.
http://www.mohistory.org/genealogy
1. Program for the Graduating Exercises for the Normal and High Schools, 1892
2. Program for the Graduating Exercises of the Normal and High School, 1894
3. P-D Notebook (company employee magazine of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and KSD-TV), 1950-1957
4. If You Want to LIVE, Live in Webster, 1924 (includes photographs of 18 homes in Webster Groves, Mo.)
5. Plat Book of St. Louis County, Missouri, 1909 (includes photographs of St. Louis County residents, homes, and commercial and institutional buildings; business advertisements; and a patrons' directory)
6. Program for Washington University commencement, 1907
7. Program for the Roosevelt High School Graduating Exercises, 1925
8. Program for the Graduating Exercises of Soldan High School, 1926
9. Program for the Graduating Exercise of the Central High School, 1928
10. Program for the St. Louis High School Graduating Exercises, 1870
11. Invitation to the Exercises of the June Class of 1909 of the Garfield School
12. Souvenir of the Ninetieth Anniversary of Zion Evangelical Church: Near Des Peres, St. Louis County, Mo., 1928
13. Cleveland High School graduation program, 1923
14. Cleveland High School graduation program, 1926
15. Program for the Commencement Exercises of St. Louis University, 1930
16. Group photograph of the graduating class of Clinton School, 1918
17. Program for the confirmation celebration of the Evangelical Protestant Church of the Holy Ghost, 1873
The Missouri History Museum Library and Research Center is free and open to the public. The Library and Research Center is located at 225 South Skinker, across from Forest Park. Our hours are Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 pm, and Saturday, 10 am-5 pm.
The Library and Research Center collections are non-circulating; items may not be checked out. The library staff can make photocopies for 25 cents per copy.
Library reference desk: 314-746-4500, library@mohistory.org
Archives reference desk: 314-746-4510, archives@mohistory.org
Library and Research Center website: http://www.mohistory.org/lrc-home/
Please note: There will be ongoing renovation work in the Library and Research Center Reading Room during the month of September. The Reading Room will remain open. Please pardon our work.
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
CIVIL WAR FAIR
Springfield – The Mary Whitney Phelps Tent (Chapter), Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, in conjunction with the Springfield-Greene County Public Library, has announced an all-day program—Civil War Fair—for those interested in Civil War history and in locating ancestors who served. The fair, scheduled to run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on September 19, at The Library Center, 4653 South Campbell, will feature two lectures. The morning session will be given by Missouri State University Professor Emeritus Hal Funk on First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln, and the afternoon session will be presented by Local History Librarian John Rutherford on how to trace Civil War ancestors. Following Rutherford’s talk, historian Brian Grubbs will discuss the library’s new online resource, “Community & Conflict: The Impact of the Civil War in the Ozarks.” Participants are invited to bring their Civil War documents and photos to be examined for historical significance.
In addition to the event’s two sponsors, area Civil War organizations will have representatives on hand to answer questions. Among those represented will be Wilson’s Creek Battlefield, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation, Civil War Round Table of the Ozarks, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and United Daughters of the Confederacy. Following the lectures, one-on-one assistance will be available to those seeking help to trace their Civil War ancestors.
Morning and afternoon refreshments will be served. Those in attendance should plan to bring a sack lunch or dine at the Mudhouse Café on the premises. For more information, call (417) 887-1699.
In addition to the event’s two sponsors, area Civil War organizations will have representatives on hand to answer questions. Among those represented will be Wilson’s Creek Battlefield, Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield Foundation, Civil War Round Table of the Ozarks, Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and United Daughters of the Confederacy. Following the lectures, one-on-one assistance will be available to those seeking help to trace their Civil War ancestors.
Morning and afternoon refreshments will be served. Those in attendance should plan to bring a sack lunch or dine at the Mudhouse Café on the premises. For more information, call (417) 887-1699.
PIKE COUNTY (MO) COUNTY HISTORY
"Pike County, Missouri: People, Places & Pikers", a 776 page book covering 100 years of county history; family histories, businesses, schools, news events, etc. is now available from Pike County Historical Society. This is a reprint of the original book produced in 1981 and includes a 48-page supplement done in 1984 as well as a CD of the book. A limited number of the 8-1/2" X 11" book is available. Cost is $85 plus $10 for shipping/handling.
Contact: Marilyn Johnson, 1217 Kentucky St., Louisiana, MO 63353
email: ladybugmj@sbcglobal.net.
Contact: Marilyn Johnson, 1217 Kentucky St., Louisiana, MO 63353
email: ladybugmj@sbcglobal.net.
NATIVE AMERICAN ARTIFACTS
Planning to sell Native American artifacts from a personal or society collection? The feds may well take an interest:
LINK
LINK
NEWS FROM TRI-COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY
Hello:
The Tri-County Genealogical Society's August 2009 Newsletter has been posted online:
LINK
Details of the September 21 research trip to Midwest Genealogy Center are included.
Regards,
Nancy Thompson
Tri-County Genealogical Society
218 W. Walnut St.
Nevada, MO 64772
web: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~motcogs/
email: tricountygenealogy@centurytel.net
The Tri-County Genealogical Society's August 2009 Newsletter has been posted online:
LINK
Details of the September 21 research trip to Midwest Genealogy Center are included.
Regards,
Nancy Thompson
Tri-County Genealogical Society
218 W. Walnut St.
Nevada, MO 64772
web: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~motcogs/
email: tricountygenealogy@centurytel.net
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
INTERMENT.NET MISSOURI CEMETERY UPDATES
For Maries County, Missouri:
Vienna City Cemetery
http://www.interment.net/data/us/mo/maries/vienna/index.htm
Kenner Cemetery (Hayden, Mo)
http://www.interment.net/data/us/mo/maries/kenner/index.htm
Visitation Cemetery (Vienna, Mo)
http://www.interment.net/data/us/mo/maries/visitation/index.htm
Note: All transcriptions provided by Jeff Mitchell.
Vienna City Cemetery
http://www.interment.net/data/us/mo/maries/vienna/index.htm
Kenner Cemetery (Hayden, Mo)
http://www.interment.net/data/us/mo/maries/kenner/index.htm
Visitation Cemetery (Vienna, Mo)
http://www.interment.net/data/us/mo/maries/visitation/index.htm
Note: All transcriptions provided by Jeff Mitchell.
HELP ID THE FLYING KIWIS
Dick Eastman reports on a young lady’s quest to identify all the Kiwi fliers depicted in a cache of 100 WWII photos rescued from a rubbish bin:
LINK
Note: Wouldn’t it be great to have a “Dead Fred” type website especially devoted to making IDs of unidentified young men and women depicted in military photos? It could be divided into sections by military conflict and then by country to make the site a little easier to navigate. Any volunteers?
LINK
Note: Wouldn’t it be great to have a “Dead Fred” type website especially devoted to making IDs of unidentified young men and women depicted in military photos? It could be divided into sections by military conflict and then by country to make the site a little easier to navigate. Any volunteers?
GET YOUR EMAIL DUCKS IN A ROW
If you rely on an email address provided by your ISP (Internet Service Provider), you may be in for a rude awakening if that ISP ever goes out of business / changes hands. Dick Eastman has some good advice for you:
LINK
NOTE: Among his suggestions: get an email address from Google, or Yahoo, or other independent provider-- and use it as your primary email address. Then if you ever change ISPs (and chances are you WILL at some point), your email flow will not be affected.
LINK
NOTE: Among his suggestions: get an email address from Google, or Yahoo, or other independent provider-- and use it as your primary email address. Then if you ever change ISPs (and chances are you WILL at some point), your email flow will not be affected.
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